Continued: Bicyclist died in south Minneapolis' danger zone: Franklin Avenue

New City Council Member Lisa Bender, who represents the area where the collision took place, said city and county planners have looked at Franklin in the past, but due to the high traffic volumes and entrances to Interstate 35W there was no consensus on how best to improve safety for bicyclists and pedestrians.

“It’s a resource question,” said Bender, who co-founded the Minneapolis Bicycle Alliance before running for City Council. “How much space do we want to devote to cars?”

Bicyclists who use the street frequently say they hear an earful from car drivers and pedestrians both.

“I often have people in this little area yell at me from their cars to get on the sidewalk,” said bicyclist Amy Van Blaricum, who lives near where Nalls died. “If I go on the sidewalk, people on the sidewalk yell at me to get off the sidewalk.” For now, she uses the sidewalk only when traffic volumes make the street too dangerous.